Matt Busby
Born on 26th of May 1909
Died on 20th of January 1994
Quotes from Matt Busby
'It was a very simple team talk'... More
Sir Alexander Matthew 'Matt' Busby, CBE was born in a humble two-roomed cottage in Orbiston, North Lanarkshire. He began his playing career at Manchester City winning an FA Cup Winner's medal in 1934.
Liverpool signed Busby for £8,000 in the March of 1936. Bob Paisley joined Liverpool while Busby was captain and was mentored by him. For the Second World War he joined the King's Liverpool Regiment.
Busby's first official international appearance for Scotland was on 4 October 1933 at Ninian Park, Cardiff in a 3-2 British Home Championship defeat to Wales.
Busby's involvement with Manchester United began in October 1946. He led them to the runners-up spot in the league for the 1946-47 season. Manchester United were runners-up in the league in 1947, 1948, 1949, and 1951 before winning the championship in 1952.
Instead of spending big money on high profile players, he gradually replaced the older Manchester United players with players as young as 16 and 17. The youthful team soon picked up the affectionate nickname of the Busby Babes. They won the league in 1956 and 1957, and were runners-up in the 1957 FA Cup Final.
On the way home from a European Cup tie against Red Star Belgrade on 6 February 1958 Manchester United's plane crashed at Munich Airport. Seven players and three club officials were among the 23 people who were killed. Duncan Edwards later died from his injuries. Busby suffered multiple injuries and twice received the last rites but eventually recovered.
Busby was by now Scotland's temporary manager and took charge of the team for two games later that year against Wales and Northern Ireland.
Busby built a new side around the Munich survivors. In 1963 they beat Leicester City in the FA Cup final. By 1964, Busby had discovered George Best, who was perhaps the greatest footballer of his time. Manchester United were league champions in 1965 and again in 1967, with only a defeat on the final day of the 1965-66 season stopping them from recording the championship hat-trick.
On 29 May 1968 the team won the European Cup. He retired as manager a year later but remained at the club as a director. In December 1970, Busby briefly returned to his managerial duties but reverted to director for 11 years, being made president in 1982.
Busby was awarded the CBE in 1958 and was knighted following the European Cup victory in 1968. He died of cancer, aged 84, in January 1994.
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